Stuck with you
by cein
Summary: latest chap. Dave and Kerry meet for one more time
1. Romano and Cleo

DISCLAMER: "ER," the characters and situations depicted within are the  
property of Warner Brothers Television, Amblin Entertainment, Constant  
c Productions, NBC, etc. They are borrowed without permission, but  
without the intent of infringement. The story presented here is  
written solely for entertainment purposes, and the author is making no  
profit.  
  
This contains slight spoilers for 'Viable Options', 'Match made in Heaven'  
  
  
STUCK WITH YOU  
  
  
Cleo could see the doors to the elevator start to close. Although she was in no particular hurry to finish her break and get back to the ER she instinctively started sprinting towards them. Gracefully she squeezed through the shrinking space and barely stopped herself from colliding with the rear of the car. With a sigh of satisfaction she turned to hit the controls then jumped when a voice from the side of the car said "Are you always in this much of a hurry Dr Finch?"  
  
Dr Romano was standing unobtrusively at the side of the car.   
Cleo inwardly cursed at the whim that had driven her to run for the elevator.  
You could have had a leisurely stroll down the stairs she told herself, but oh no, you had to show off your speed and now you're stuck with the little weasel. Still at least it's only a short ride down.  
Cleo had managed to avoid him since he had revoked her prescription writing privileges. Oh it was so humiliating to have to ask other people to write out scripts for her. It was all right for Peter, he wrote fewer prescriptions in a week than she did in a single shift. She had been so furious with him over the incident not to mention his half-assed apology. But when she saw him standing in her apartment looking so sheepish she had relented.  
  
"Are you going down?" Romano's voice broke into her thoughts.   
"Just to the ER."  
  
He pressed the button. They stood in uncomfortable silence. At least Cleo was uncomfortable. Romano was enjoying her discomfort. He was about to made a caustic comment when suddenly the elevator lurched to a stop and the lights went out.  
  
---------------------------------  
  
Cleo was flung into Romano's arms by the force of the jolt. A few seconds later the emergency lights came on. "Why Cleo this is so sudden," said Romano. He had instinctively grabbed her to stop her falling further. Where he had grabbed her had been a happy accident. That was his story and he was sticking to it.  
  
"Let go of me you...," said Cleo angrily.   
"Careful what you say. After all I am your boss." He let go of her abruptly and she almost lost her balance.  
  
"There must have been a power failure or something," said Romano.  
He picked up the emergency phone. A technician on the other end informed him that yes there was indeed a power failure, no there was no danger, and yes they were working to get people out the lifts. "We'll get to you as soon as possible, but lifts with patients in them have priority."  
"Do you know who you're talking to? I'm the chief of staff for this hospital. I have an important surgery scheduled to start in thirty minutes. I need to be out of here in ten.  
Do you understand?"  
  
In spite of Romano's rantings the technician was unable to offer him any reassurances.  
Finally he hung up the phone and turned to Cleo.   
"Well looks like we're going to be stuck here for a while," he glowered.  
"I'm sure Dr Corday will be able to cover for you," said Cleo.   
Romano noticed the slight sneer in her voice at the mention of Lizzie. "Hmm," he thought to himself. "This could be interesting."  
Out loud he said, "The 'surgery' involves the delicate sectioning and ingestion of a fillet steak, lubricated with vintage champagne and the careful application of a selection of desserts. I have no intention of allowing anyone to cover for me,"  
  
Cleo looked puzzled for a moment. "You're going out to dinner,"  
"Got it in one."  
"But you told the technician you had surgery,"  
"Duh. These guys have their own priorities. If I told them anything else we'd be the last ones to be let out. Do you want to be stuck here all night?"  
"hell no,"  
"I admire your honesty. Now we can either make ourselves comfortable and have some civilised conversation or you can stand there and ignore me. Either way is fine by me."  
As he spoke he removed his coat and sat down.   
Cleo considered the two options. Neither was particularly to her liking. A third option, that of picking Romano up by his ankles and banging his head on the floor, while likely to be more satisfying, would probably not do a lot for her career. She sighed as she removed her lab coat and used it to cushion from the hard floor, wishing as she did so that she had worn a less low cut top. But then she had been expecting to be spending time with Peter rather than Romano.  
  
"Isn't this pleasant," said Romano  
"Yeah I guess,"  
"Don't be so negative. I'm the one who's missing out on dinner. Although I must admit this has its compensations."  
Cleo glared at him.   
Romano continued "So what's this animosity I sense between you and Lizzie Corday."  
"I think my professional relationships are none of your business."  
"Everything, and I mean everything that happens in this hospital is my business. But if it makes you feel better about telling tales, I promise that what you say in this elevator will stay in this elevator. All I ask is that you promise the same."  
Cleo looked doubtful. Most of what she knew of Romano came via Peter, and he was a bit biased towards the man. Oh what the hell she thought.  
"Ok."  
"So I ask again, what's the deal with you and Lizzie?"  
"There's no deal. I didn't agree with her assessment of a patient of mine, so I got a second opinion, which differed, from hers. She got annoyed and that's the end of it."  
Romano considered this for a few moments. According to the OR reports Dr Benton had been all ready to operate on an ER patient when Lizzie took over. This could be interesting he thought.  
Out loud he said "So do you always get Dr Benton when you need a 'second opinion'?"  
Cleo could hear the leer in his voice. Damm she thought. She hadn't wanted to bring Peter into the conversation.  
"If Dr Benton is on call, then yes I would call on him. We work well together."  
I'll bet you do thought Romano. He had had his suspicions regarding the two of them for a while.   
He was about to make a comment when the elevator lurched and the full lights came on.   
"About time," said Cleo, relieved that her inquisition was over.  
The elevator reached the next floor down and stopped.  
  
"Well Dr Finch, I would say it's been an enjoyable ride, but I pride myself on my honesty. Of course anything you've said will be blotted from my mind as soon as part company."  
The doors finally opened.  
  
"Good night Dr Romano," said Cleo barely able to suppress her irritation at him.  
"Good night Dr Finch. Enjoy the rest of your shift."  
  
They went their separate ways. Cleo hoping that no one would find out that she had been stuck in the elevator with Romano.  
  
Romano thought to himself as he headed for the stairs. "Lets see, Cleo and Lizzie hate each other. Cleo is dating Benton who used to date Lizzie. Oh I'm going to get a lot of mileage out of this. La la la la do dee do .. happy happy." He whistled as he walked.  
  
  
THE END  
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Author's notes  
  
Ok thanks to Bizwoman on alt.tv.er for her contribution to the list of things we'll never hear Romano say.  
If anyone has any suggestions as to who they'd like to see stuck in the other elevators, let me know. Requests to be stuck in an elevator with Luka don't count.  
Enjoy   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	2. Dave and Elizabeth

Stuck with You II  
  
Elizabeth Corday and Dave Malucci  
  
----------------------  
Dave pushed the empty wheelchair towards the elevator whistling merrily. When he had left the ER to bring the patient upstairs, Haleh had warned him not to come back without the chair.  
"Every time we send a patient up to geriatrics those no good residents steal our wheelchairs." She had said. "Don't let them get this one."  
  
Dave waited at the lift for ages. He briefly considered carrying the chair down the many flights of stairs to the ER but decided against it. Finally the doors parted. He was already inside and pressing the floor number when he realised that the figure with her head buried in a medical journal was Dr Corday.   
  
Elizabeth had been paged for an ER consult. She was trying to catch up with her reading as well. She glanced up briefly as the doors closed and groaned inwardly at the sight of Malucci. "Oh well," she thought to herself. "At least it's only a short ride."  
  
"Evening Dr Corday," said Dave, hoping that he wasn't going to get landed with another lecture. He had managed to avoid Corday since her lecture to him. He could still hear her words ringing in his ears. The worst part was that he hadn't been able to disagree with her. Still at least she couldn't fault him for misdiagnosing a wheelchair.  
  
"Dr Malucci," replied Elizabeth with icy politeness.  
  
Dave wondered was it his imagination or was there a slight sneer on the word 'doctor'.  
  
Elizabeth went back to studying her notes. Her concentration was broken by Dave whistling softly and snapping his fingers. Irritated, she was just about to tell him to shut up when without warning the elevator accelerated slightly and then abruptly stopped. The lights went out and Elizabeth and Dave were flung to the ground.  
  
-----------------------------------------  
  
"Malucci, are you ok?" asked Elizabeth as she pushed herself up off the floor. There was no reply. "Where are the dammed emergency lights when you need them." She swore under her breath. Finally the emergency lights clicked on. Or at least half of them did and not very brightly. The dim light was enough for Elizabeth to see Malucci sprawled awkwardly on the ground next to the overturned wheelchair. Blood was trickling from a small cut on his forehead down past his closed eyes. A small trickle was leaking from the side of his mouth.  
  
"Oh god," said Elizabeth as she knelt beside him feeling for a pulse. Fortunately it was strong and his breathing appeared regular. Cursing herself for not carrying her stethoscope, she carefully ran her hands up and down his side trying to locate any signs of broken ribs.   
Dave's eyes fluttered open. "Why Dr Corday, this is so sudden," he said weakly.  
Elizabeth had to smile in spite of herself. "Typical Malucci," she thought to herself. "We're stuck in an elevator, he could be bleeding internally and he's still flirting with the only woman in sight."  
Out loud she said, "Try not to talk too much. You're bleeding from your mouth and you may have a punctured lung."  
Dave muttered something barely audible.  
"What was that?" said Elizabeth leaning closer to him.  
"I said I bit my lip when I hit the chair. That's where the bloods coming from. I'll be ok in a minute."  
"I think I'm more qualified to make a diagnosis. Do you have your stethoscope with you?"  
"Right hand pocket of my jeans."  
  
Elizabeth retrieved it and listened to Malucci's breath sounds. There was no indication of broken ribs, although there was some tenderness, it was probably just bruising.  
"Looks like your diagnosis was right," she said as she removed the earpieces.  
"Yeah, well I've another one for you. I think my wrist is broken."  
  
Elizabeth carefully helped Dave into a sitting position resting his back against the wall of the car. She carefully examined his wrist.  
"You could be right. We'll get you x-rayed as soon as we get out of here."  
"Wow, two for two. I must be on a roll," said Dave sarcastically. "Lets make it a hat-trick. I diagnose a mild concussion."  
"There's no need for that attitude young man," replied Elizabeth. "I'm going to call maintenance and see how long it'll be before they get us out."  
  
Unfortunately the emergency phone, like the lights wasn't working fully. After a few minutes of shouting futilely Elizabeth gave up and sat back down beside Dave.  
"No luck?"  
"I could barely hear the man on the other end. But I think he said it wouldn't be too long."  
  
They sat in silence for a while.   
  
Dave was the first to speak. "I'm sorry if I was a bit sarcastic earlier," he said. "I mean I know you're more qualified than me and everything, but I do know my stuff. I mean I'm not a total idiot."  
"I never said that you were. From what I've heard, you have the necessary skills to be a good doctor. You just lack the self-discipline and motivation required to use them correctly."  
"Yeah whatever," Dave turned away from Elizabeth.  
"Look at me when I'm talking to you. Do you think I enjoyed saying what I said to you that day?"  
Dave shrugged, then winced as he inadvertently moved the wrist he had been carefully cradling.   
"I did not enjoy it one bit. This is not some sort of competition. We want residents to succeed. But we also want to weed out the unsuitable doctors out of the profession."  
"Am I really unsuitable?"  
"If you carry on the way you have been, then yes. You and your patients would be better off if you quit medicine." Elizabeth continued in a gentler tone. "Malucci, I know I'm not in the ER all the time, but I do hear what goes on. You do have the potential to be a good doctor. But it requires time and effort. You have to work at it all the time. Not just when you're interested."  
"Hardly seems worth it if no one thinks I'm much of a doctor."  
"Dr Weaver thinks you're a good doctor."  
"Yeah?"  
"Didn't she speak to you about the incident with the tubo-ovarian abscess?"  
"She tore a few strips off me for not supervising Abby properly and for signing off a patient without seeing her. She hasn't mentioned it since."  
"Hmm. Well our discussion was confidential, but she did have a higher opinion of you that I did."   
"That wouldn't be hard," muttered Dave under his breath.  
  
Elizabeth vividly remembered the confrontation. Kerry had been in a foul mood all day. When Elizabeth had broached the subject of Malucci's sloppiness and irresponsibility, Kerry had listened calmly and then told Elizabeth that disciplining ER residents and students was her job. While she had not out and out defended Dave, Elizabeth was left in no doubt that Kerry did not share the general low opinion of him.  
  
The full lights came on almost blinding them. As the elevator started to move Elizabeth helped Dave into the wheelchair.  
"Listen Dave," she said. "If you pull yourself together and concentrate on your work, not just the interesting parts of it, you have every chance of becoming a good doctor. If not, you probably won't last another year. The choice is yours. Make it the right one."  
  
"Yeah. I guess you're right."  
"Of course I'm right. I'm a surgeon. We're never wrong."  
Dave smiled in spite of himself. The elevator finally stopped and the doors opened.  
"C'mon," said Elizabeth as she pushed the chair into the hallway. "Let's get you seen to properly."  
  
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THE END  
  



	3. Benton and Carol

  
Stuck with you 3 - Peter Benton and Carol Hathaway  
Takes place just before Carol returns to work after having the twins  
Season 6 spoilers  
  
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Peter Benton stepped into the elevator and held the doors open so Carol could maneuver the stroller in. "Thanks Peter," she said.  
  
"What floor?" asked Peter  
  
"Down to the ER."  
  
"You back working already?"  
  
Carol shook her head, "Not for another week. I had to bring the girls in for a check-up. Figured I might as well check out what shifts I'm on."  
  
"Not to mention showing off your daughters," said Peter  
  
"That too," grinned Carol.  
  
"They are beautiful, Carol," said Peter indicating the sleeping children. "I'd say Doug's real proud of them."  
  
"I don't know Peter, he hasn't seen them."  
  
Peter looked at Carol in surprise. He was about to say something when the elevator stopped suddenly and the lights went out.  
  
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The emergency lights came on to the sound of two crying babies. Tess and Kate had both been woken by the elevator's sudden stop. "Shh, girls," said Carol crouching down before the stroller. "It's all right, Mommy's here."  
  
The girls ignored her efforts to calm them and just screamed louder. "It's okay," said Carol as she unstrapped Tess and picked her up.   
  
"Here, let me help," said Peter, taking Tess in his arms.  
  
"Thanks Peter," said Carol as she took Kate out of the stroller.   
  
With some difficulty the two girls were calmed down. "They're probably hungry," said Carol, looking worried. "I was hoping to feed them in the lounge before I went home."  
  
"Do you have bottles made up?" asked Peter. "I can give you a hand. Oh, wait a minute; we've no way of heating it up for them. I guess you'll just have to wait until we get out of here, eh Tess? Unless you want a cold drink? What do you think Carol, will they take a cold bottle?"  
  
Carol shook her head. "I don't have any bottles made up. I'm still breast-feeding." Carol looked down at her chest and swore softly when she saw the stain that was forming. "Oh dammit. Peter, I can't wait."  
  
"You're going to feed them here?"   
  
"Do you have a better idea?"  
  
Peter opened his mouth and then closed it again. He looked away discreetly as Carol sat down in a corner and settled Kate at her breast. "You can look now Peter," said Carol, half-amused at his reaction. Peter sat down opposite her and tried to avoid looking at her breasts. It wasn't as if he hadn't seen a baby breast-fed before, but like a lot of men, he found it slightly disconcerting. He tried to think of something to say.  
  
He finally said, "So you were saying Doug hasn't seen the girls?" Carol nodded, her attention firmly fixed on Kate. It wasn't the first time she had been forced to feed in front of someone, but it was always slightly unnerving. Peter continued, "I suppose it's not easy, him getting enough time off to come all the way from Seattle."  
  
"I wouldn't know anything about that, Peter. I haven't spoken to him since Thanksgiving."  
  
Peter was a bit taken-aback at this. "You haven't? Why not?"  
  
Carol sighed, remembering the call she had made after Tess and Kate were born. Doug had been ecstatic at the news.   
"He wanted us to move to Seattle so we could be a family. I told him that if he wanted that then he could easily move back to Chicago. He refused."  
  
"But why wouldn't he come to see them?" Benton was surprised that Doug hadn't made the effort.  
  
"Because I told him not to." Carol stopped abruptly.   
  
Peter looked at Carol "I don't understand you Carol. Why are you keeping them apart? It's not fair to Doug or the girls."  
  
"Peter, it's not really any of your business."  
  
"Carol, I'm a father. I know what it's like to be faced with the thought of not seeing my kid."  
  
"It's not the same thing. Reese is three. You've bonded with him. Naturally you don't want to lose him. I just feel that it's better that the twins don't get attached to a father who's probably only going to see them a few times a year." And who will probably disappear from their lives without warning, she thought to herself. At the back of her mind, all through her relationship with Doug, Carol had found herself holding back, unable to trust him fully. She had only finally begun to accept that he would be around when they had started trying for a child, and then he had upped and left her. She did not want her children to suffer that pain.  
  
The sudden movement of the elevator as it resumed its journey startled Carol. Quickly she replaced Kate in her stroller, and rearranged her clothing. Peter silently strapped Tess back into her seat. He wished that he could persuade Carol to change her mind. Okay, he hadn't always had a lot of time for Doug, but it still wasn't right that he was being kept from seeing his kids.  
  
"Carol, will you do me a favor?" he asked abruptly, as the elevator neared his destination.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"Call Doug. Give him the chance to see the girls. It's the right thing to do, for all of them."  
  
Carol sighed. "I don't know Peter. I'll think about it."  
  
"That's all I ask." Peter gave her one of his rare smiles as the doors opened.  
  
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The End  
  
  



	4. Doug and Luka

Stuck with you  
Doug and Luka  
  
Set just after Great Expectations.  
Okay, this is what TPTB should have done g  
  
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Luka stood in the elevator car on the way up to the OB ward. He had a few minutes to spare before his break was over, and had decided to visit Carol and the twins. Dr Greene had informed everyone that she had been safely delivered of twin girls, but this was the first chance that Luka had had, to go and see her and offer his congratulations. Of course he had signed the card and contributed to the present that Haleh had organized, but he felt it only good manners to visit in person.  
  
He looked up as the elevator doors opened and a dark haired man, about his own age, hurried into the elevator. The man's arms were so full of bags and boxes that he was unable to press the button.   
  
"What floor do you wish to go to?" asked Luka stepping forward.  
  
"OB," replied the man. "Thanks," he said, as Luka pressed the button.  
  
Luka eyed the packages the other man was carrying. He could see various toys and items of clothing suitable for newborns. "Is it a litter that your wife has had?" he asked.  
  
"What?" He looked at the bundles and smiled. "Oh no, just two. But, well, I couldn't decide between all the stuff on offer, so...."  
  
"So you got everything," smiled Luka. He had done the same thing when Jasna had been born. Maria had laughed to see him stagger into the hospital ward laden down with gifts for both her and the baby.  
  
"Pretty much."  
  
Without warning, the elevator slowed to a halt.  
  
"Dammit," said Luka, thinking that if the car was stuck for too long, he wouldn't have time to see Carol. Turning to the other man he said, "I am sure that we won't be stuck for too long."  
  
"Well, it's not the first time it's happened to me. But at least this time I'm not stuck with a sick patient."  
  
Luka raised an eyebrow. "You are a doctor?"  
  
"Used to work at County. My name's Doug," he said.   
  
Luka held out his hand, "I am Luka."  
  
Doug tried to rearrange the parcels so that he could shake hands, but only succeeded in spilling them all over the floor. "Ah crap," he said, crouching down to pick them up.  
  
Luka bent down to help him. "What is this?" he asked, picking up an unusual object.  
  
Doug took it from him and flipped a switch on the side. A lullaby started playing, and a pattern of stars shone on the ceiling of the car.   
  
"That is beautiful," said Luka. "I am sure your children will love it."  
  
"I hope so," said Doug. "I just hope I get the chance to see them enjoy it."  
  
Luka looked at him quizzically.   
  
"Let's just say that my girlfriend and I aren't on the best of terms. I'm coming here today in the hopes that she'll give me a second chance. I don't care what it takes; I want us to be together... to be a proper family. I just hope she'll forgive me for not being there when she needed me."  
  
Luka nodded approvingly. "You are here now, and that is what matters. What's past is past, and cannot be changed. You and your girlfriend have your children to consider now. I hope that she will forgive you. Families should be together."  
  
They continued picking up the gifts in silence. Finally the elevator started moving again.   
"You see," said Luka. "I told you it wouldn't be too long." Looking at his watch, he realized that it was too long for him. As it was, he was going to be late getting back to the ER. Oh well, he thought to himself. Perhaps I will visit after my shift.  
  
The elevator stopped at the OB floor and Doug got out. "Nice meeting you," he said to Luka.  
  
"And you. Good luck with your girlfriend, I hope everything works out."  
  
"Thank you," replied Doug.  
  
The doors closed between them.  
  
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The End  
  
Authors note.  
Okay, short but sweet I hope.  
This is one of these ideas that was annoying me so much that I had to write it, just so I could get it out of my head :-)  
  
  
  
  
  



	5. Dave and Kerry

Stuck with you - (Dave & Kerry)  
  
Spoilers for season 8, up to 'Never say Never'  
  
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Kerry stood by the elevator doors and tried not to think about the meeting she'd just been at with Romano and all the heads of departments. Robert had been worse than usual today. Every time he opened his mouth, there had been a cutting remark on his lips. Kerry hadn't been his only target, but she had born the brunt of it. It made her very uneasy every time he aimed a pointed comment in her direction. She knew that he was just waiting for the right time to let her secret slip.   
  
Kerry mentally cursed the impulse that had led her to 'out' herself to him. It wasn't as if it had done any good. Romano hadn't retracted Kim's dismissal - not that Kim would have wanted her job back under any circumstances - and now he had 'leverage' over *her*, the next time she went up against him for any reason. Worst of all, it hadn't made any difference in her relationship - or should she say 'lack of relationship' with Kim. Kim had listened to Kerry explain what she had done, but all she had said was that she wished Kerry had done it for the right reason, and that had been that.  
  
Lost in thought, Kerry heard the elevator doors open and stepped inside. Automatically she pushed the button for the ER, but it wasn't until the doors had closed, sealing her inside, that she glanced up and realized that she wasn't alone.  
  
Kerry froze in place as she saw Dave Malucci standing silently at the back of the elevator car. "You? What...what are *you* doing here?" she stammered. "You don't work here anymore, Malucci."  
  
Dave looked at her harshly. "Well gee...I just knew when I walked in the doors of this place that there was something I'd forgotten...oh yeah...I'd forgotten that you fired me. Wow, it must have slipped my mind," he added sarcastically.  
  
Kerry flushed as he continued. "If you must know, *Weaver*, I was here meeting with the hospital lawyers. They wanted to talk to me before my deposition for the Marfan's case. Probably to make sure I'm not gonna do or say anything to get the hospital in trouble."  
  
"Don't you mean, in *more* trouble?" snapped Kerry. "Your carelessness and incompetence has already opened the hospital up to a massive lawsuit."  
  
"Pity you weren't around to pick up on my 'mistakes' then," commented Dave, dryly. "I mean that's what Attendings are supposed to do, right? To teach the residents and students so that they *don't* make mistakes...and to help us learn from the ones we *do* make."  
  
"At this stage in your training, you shouldn't need someone to 'hold your hand' like that," replied Kerry, trying to control her temper as she realized that she was alone in an elevator with a man who had already shown himself to have violent tendencies, and who most likely hated her guts. "You should..."  
  
But her words were cut off by the screech of the elevator as it came to a halt. Kerry glanced quickly at the doors, willing them to open. It didn't matter if they weren't at her floor...she'd gladly walk down all the stairs in the hospital...anything to get away from the glowering man a few feet away from her. Nervously she hit the 'open doors' button, but nothing happened.  
  
"Looks like we're stuck," observed Dave.  
  
"With powers of observation like that, I'm surprised you never made Chief Resident," snapped Kerry. So much for not aggravating him, she thought to herself.  
  
"No need to get all snarky on me," replied Dave, with an odd expression on his face.   
  
"You know," he continued, in a carefully neutral tone. "The last time I was stuck in an elevator, I saved a guys life...but then, that time there were plenty of people there to see it...not like now."  
  
Kerry shrank back against the wall...her face draining of color as Dave approached her, and loomed over her. Gripping her crutch tightly, she wondered if she could defend herself against whatever he had planned. She opened her mouth as he stood in front of her, but her mouth was suddenly dry, and she couldn't form the words...not that words were likely to dissuade him...  
  
As he leaned closer to her...his face only a few inches away from her, she heard him say, "I'm sorry," before stepping back.  
  
"Wha...what?" stammered Kerry, unable to believe that she'd heard him correctly.  
  
"You heard me...I'm sorry, okay? I was out of line when I yelled at you in the ER that day...and...and I shouldn't have called you those names in front of everyone..."  
  
This was the last thing Kerry had expected him to say, and she stared at him open-mouthed for a few seconds before she recovered her composure. "Do you think that an apology is going to change anything?" she asked. She was embarrassed to think of how easily unnerved she had been by Malucci's presence, and there was a note of anger in her voice.  
  
Dave shrugged, "Doesn't matter. I didn't do it cause I thought it'd change things...I said it cause I meant it. I *am* sorry...whether you believe it or not. I was angry...upset...I didn't mean what I said...or at least, I didn't mean to say it how I said it...*where* I said it..." He looked away from her. "You didn't ought to have been shown up like that...you deserved an apology."  
  
Kerry's voice was cool as she replied, "If you're planning on apologizing to everybody who deserves one from you, you're going to be kept extremely busy...starting with the family of that Marfan's patient."  
  
Kerry could see a slight flush on Dave's cheeks as he said, "I was gonna do that...but the lawyers laughed me out of it...said that if I went and apologized then *their* lawyers would only use it as an admission of guilt, and take the hospital for all it's worth."   
  
He looked up and caught the expression on Kerry's face. "Hey, I know I screwed up, all right?" he snapped. "I *know* I should have looked at the Goddamned x-rays...hell, even a doctor who 'doesn't know his ass from his elbow' would have copped that *something* was screwy about the guys films. Even if I didn't know what it was...I could have done something...asked someone...maybe waited for the tox screen to come back..."   
  
Turning suddenly, he slammed his hands hard against the wall and leaned there, breathing heavily. "Do you *know* how often I've replayed it in my mind?" he asked, with his back to Kerry. "Do you know how much I've wished that I'd taken a lousy few seconds to really *look* at the x-rays? I'm gonna spend the rest of my life, knowing that a patient of mine died, not because he was too badly hurt to save...not because I didn't know what was wrong with him...but because I was too cocky to even *look* at a simple set of chest films. I was just soooo sure that I knew the answer...I didn't even bother looking at the information."  
  
Turning around, he leaned back against the wall, eyes closed, his face twisted into an expression of despair.  
  
"I didn't realize," said Kerry, quietly.   
  
Dave opened his eyes and looked at her. "Realize what? That Dave Malucci isn't the insensitive bastard that you thought? See, I told you that you don't know a *thing* about me. I..."  
  
Dave's comments were lost in the sound of the elevator motors starting up again.   
  
Kerry's relief at the thought of finally getting moving was short-lived, however, as a few seconds later, the car lurched to an abrupt stop, and the lights went out.  
  
She hung on tightly to the handrail, to keep her balance, and waited in vain for the emergency lights to kick in.   
  
"You okay Chi...Dr. Weaver?" she heard Dave ask...a note of genuine concern in his voice.   
  
"I think so," she said warily, not letting go of the handrail. Dammit...ever since she was a child, she had hated the thought of being stuck in pitch darkness. "Do...do you have a light?"  
  
"Why Dr. Weaver," she heard Dave say in an amused tone. "I thought *you* would be aware of the dangers of smoking."  
  
Kerry glared at him, even though she knew he couldn't see her. "Do you have a light or not," she snapped.   
  
The smile faded from Dave's face and he muttered, "Keep your hair on," as he rummaged blindly in his backpack. Cursing under his breath, he finally crouched down and upended most of the contents onto the floor.  
  
Finally his hand closed over the familiar shape of his cigarette lighter.  
  
"You might want to shield your eyes for a bit," he warned Kerry as he stood up. "Don't look directly at the flame until your eyes get used to it."  
  
Kerry carefully stared at the blackness where she knew her feet to be. She could hear the click of the flint in a lighter...followed by some stifled curses...and then finally a louder click, followed by the sound of a flame.  
  
Cautiously she looked up and saw Dave standing with a lighter in one hand, and using the other to shield the flame. "I didn't know you smoked," she said without thinking.  
  
"I don't," replied Dave. "This used to be my Mom's...before she got quit."  
  
"Oh...okay...I...I guess we'd better try the emergency phone." She moved towards the control panel.  
  
"Probably won't work," said Dave, as he held the lighter to illuminate the panel. "Half the phones in these things don't."  
  
True to Dave's prediction, the phone was out of order. "Now what?" asked Dave, as Kerry replaced the handset.  
  
"Surely someone will notice that this elevator isn't working."  
  
Dave snorted in disgust, "Good luck...we could be here for days before anyone notices." He caught the flash of fear that swept across Kerry's face. "Hey, chill out...it shouldn't take more than an hour or two before someone figures it out."  
  
"And how long will that flame last?" asked Kerry, her voice shaking slightly at the thought of being trapped in the dark for God knows how long. She swayed on her feet.  
  
Dave grabbed at her with his free hand. "Maybe you'd better sit down for a bit."  
  
Kerry would have protested his touch, but she could feel her mouth drying up so she just nodded and allowed him to lower her to the ground.  
  
Dave observed her for a few moments before saying, "So...how long have you had a problem with the dark?" He crouched down in front of her."  
  
Kerry looked at him questioningly as he explained. "Your skin is cold and clammy...you're shaking like a leaf...and I don't think that's it's *my* proximity that's making your pulse race so fast. In short, you have all the classic signs of a panic attack about something. You were doing fine when we were stuck earlier, so it can't be just that. The only thing that's changed has been the light going out, so my guess is you've got a phobia or something about the dark." He sat down in front of her and waited for her reaction.  
  
"And how do you know I'm not a diabetic going into insulin shock?" asked Kerry.  
  
Dave thought for a moment before shaking his head. "Nah," he said. "If you were diabetic, someone would have copped you shooting up by now, and it'd be all round the ER. Besides, you're too efficient to be not wearing one of those medi-alert thingies if you needed one."  
  
Kerry found herself nodding approvingly at his reasoning. "An accurate diagnosis," she commented. "Yes...I do have a problem with dark places...ever since I was a child."  
  
"Maybe you should see a shrink," said Dave.  
  
"Been there, done that," replied Kerry with a wry smile.   
  
Dave frowned at her comment, but she didn't elaborate. Closing her eyes, she leaned back against the wall.   
  
"Just hang in there Chi...Doc," said Dave. "Somebody will get us out...and long before this runs out."  
  
He thought for a minute and then said. "Hey...maybe if I lit some paper or something, maybe it'd save on the lighter fuel."  
  
"Or maybe it'd set off the smoke-alarm," commented Kerry dryly. Opening her eyes, she looked at Dave. "The *smoke* alarm...that's on it's own power circuit...if it went off..."  
  
"Somebody'd be *sure* to realize where we are," finished Dave.   
  
---------------------------  
  
A few minutes later, Dave was holding his lighter up to the center of the ceiling.   
  
"Can't you reach any higher?" asked Kerry. "I don't think you're close enough."  
  
"Not unless you want me to lift you up," said Dave, stretching further. There was a short beeping sound. "Bingo," he said as the alarm sounded.  
  
It took several minutes for someone to respond...and it was a further half hour before they managed to get the elevator moving again, but by then various torches had been passed in through the emergency hatch. Dave had been given the option of climbing out, but had insisted on staying until Kerry was able to leave the car.  
  
As the elevator, with lighting fully restored, started once again, Kerry turned to Dave. "Dave," she said quietly. "I just want to say thank you. I...I wouldn't have handled things too well if I'd been trapped in the dark on my own."   
  
"And do you think this is going to change anything?"  
  
Kerry shook her head. "No...but it's the right thing to do." Fumbling in her pocket, she pulled out a card and handed it to him. "If...*when* you find another residency program...have them call me for a reference. It won't be a waste of time."  
  
Dave took the card without a word. Shoving it into his pocket, he stood by the doors as they opened. "Goodbye Dr. We...Chief," he said, before stepping out of the elevator and striding away without a backward glance.  
  
Kerry was about to follow when she saw something on the ground. Figuring that Dave must have missed it when he was repacking his backpack, she bent down to pick it up.   
  
It was a photo...of Dave...with a girl of about 4 perched on his shoulders. Kerry turned it over and leaned against the wall as she read the caption. "To Daddy from Nancy"  
  
"I didn't know a thing about you," she said to herself.  
  
-------------------------   
  
The End 


End file.
